Wednesday 21 October 2015 10:43, UK
Darren Clarke admitted he would have been "foolish" to have envisaged being able to play the Open Championship in his homeland during the long period of violence in Northern Ireland.
Clarke's home course of Royal Portrush has been confirmed as the venue for the 2019 Open, which will take place between July 18-21 and is just the second time that the oldest major in the world will be played outside England and Scotland.
The Ryder Cup captain was present with R&A officials at the announcement, and he has enjoyed a long association with Portrush along with compatriot Graeme McDowell.
As well as it being the biggest and best tournament in the world, the players will enjoy the course and the area. The welcome they get here will be second to none
"I played a lot of my golf here, I lived here and was a proud member here, but to think would we ever get through the dark times Northern Ireland has had, to get to this stage where we have the biggest and best tournament in the world, I'd be very foolish to say yes," Clarke said.
"Nobody could foresee that coming through in the bad old days, but to see how far we have all come, how far our politicians have moved this part of the country on, it's been brilliant."
McDowell's brother Gary is a member of the greenkeeping staff at the club and the former US Open champion said: "As a local, when the day comes it's going to be a great moment. I will be turning 40 that year but I will be expecting to be there and to win a Claret Jug in my home town would be dream stuff."
Rory McIlroy, who holds the Portrush course record of 61, added: "To hear that the Open is going there in 2019 is a dream come true. I never thought I would be able to play an Open Championship at home. I'm really excited."
Golf course architect Martin Ebert will oversee substantial changes to the Dunluce Course which will see two new holes constructed, while almost 200 yards have been added to the layout to lengthen the course to 7,337 yards.
Clarke was initially sceptical of the changes, but he added: "Due to being such a fan of the golf course I wasn't sure about some of them, but when I went round with Martin and he explained them to me I could understand where he was coming from.
"The more I looked at them I could see the changes were going to make the course better. There's a difference between making it tougher and making it better. He's making it better and there's a big difference. I can't praise Martin highly enough as he is providing a modern lift to one of the best courses in the world.
"There's no reason why we can't have an Irish Open here after The Open and I'd be hopeful it will come back here. I think the players when they get here, as well as it being the biggest and best tournament in the world, will enjoy the course and the area. The welcome they get here will be second to none."
